I often talk to the kids about why it's so important to keep our neighborhood and parks clean by recycling or picking up trash we find on the sidewalk. And this Earth Day , I love that Cool Mom Picks favorite Green Toys is reminding us h…
If you're looking for a neat little birthday gift , or perhaps something unique for the Easter basket, check out the Buildex Speed Machine construction toy . Because not every kid wants just a bunny in her basket. These brightly colored,…
We have featured piles of cool wooden alphabet blocks for kids over the years, from modern design blocks to steampunk science blocks , to Storyblox 's "build-your-own" wooden blocks. And now there's a cool set of custom name blocks on th…
Make your kids' Easter baskets a hundred times more adorable by adding some playful chicks and bunnies to your list of Easter basket gift ideas for kids--of course along with some of our favorite Easter candy and Easter-themed gifts . Ou…
If you asked my daughter what her favorite color is, her answer would be "rainbow." I can't agree more, and its bright and cheery vibe makes the sweet rainbow learning toys for toddlers so perfect for spring. This acorn sorting game is a…
When we heard that one of our favorite design bloggers, Joy Cho, was launching the Oh Joy for Land of Nod baby collection, we seriously couldn't wait to get a look at it. All of her design collaborations have been terrific and we figured…
If your little monsters can tear up a room in under 15 minutes , check out how the new P'kolino line of monstrous Mess Eaters storage units are ready to put it all back together again in a snap. And now that we can find this playful line…
If your kids are always drawing their own magical animals, these wacky and adorable Chimeras plush toys from Walrus Toys can bring their dreams to life in a way that doesn't involve a trip to the Island of Dr. Moreau. When I was a kid, w…
We have played with Tegu and drank the KoolAid. From their mind-bending explorer sets to mobile toy kits, they simply rock the block. Our favorite eco-friendly block-makers have just rolled out a super tricked out magnetic block building…
Though I think I do a pretty good "bunny" with my hands, nothing beats a great set of shadow puppets for turning a rainy afternoon or evening story time into a lively theatrical production played out behind a sheet or against a blank wal…
Well, here's your first look. (Second if you count our photo on Pinterest from Toy Fair .) Itchy! Scratchy! Millhouse! Nelson! Krusty! Apu! Burns! Plus? Actual Simpsons family members. Is there anything else more to say? Yeah, probably n…
Let's face it: clutter happens. And I'm always looking for new ways to get our stuff (er, my kids' stuff) organized at home . Since I don't have a line item in our family budget for custom crates labeled toys and blocks , I've been using…
I still stand by Corolle baby dolls as the best of the bigger brands. Designed in France and smelling lightly of vanilla, they're really everything you want a doll to be. Unless when you're looking for the best dolls for 5-year olds who …
Based on the number of awesome-looking, well-made wooden doctor's kits we saw at Toy Fair , we expect that a lot of kids will have fun taking care of all their new patients. Here's a recap of some of the nicest doctor's kits for kids tha…
Maybe you have a kid at home like mine, who is always asking about how buildings stand up, or "Mom, who made that bridge?" This great Water Tower DIY building kit that we found at our hometown favorite Brooklyn Makers is a creative way t…
Oh you knew I'd go there with the headline, didn't you? What can I say, just as I said in my Lego Movie review , the song has been stuck in my head for life. Another thing you probably knew: the Lego Movie sets were not long to follow th…
I may in fact be the very last parent to come around on the Twilight Turtle from Cloud B, and its myriad night light variations. But after seeing a few children absolutely go from panicked to peaceful at night with this thing by their be…
More and more, we're seeing a move away from yellow for "surprise" babies, and toward beautiful heather grays and rich charcoals. Paired with white, it's a little less severe than black and can be and incredibly stylish on either a boy o…
Though it's clear that the Olympic athletes we've been watching at the Sochi Winter Games all want gold, all three of Micro Kickboard's new medal-hued scooters would be winners with my kids, regardless of what color they choose. All dres…
This week at Toy Fair, I must say a progressive mama like me had a much harder time than expected scoping out smart toys for girls that defy the pink aisle. In other words, the girl dolls and figures were wearing something beyond princes…
T here are so many train tables out there! Can you help let me know what's the best choices? Storage is an important factor for me. Looking more like a low coffee table than a cartoon-colored train table, I love Pottery Barn Kids' Caroli…
In honor of Presidents Day, and this day off from school (let's be honest), I like the idea of devoting a little time to building a replica of the White House with LEGO bricks. The White House Lego Set from their Architecture Series will…
I have always had a weakness for stuffed animals and I was thrilled to be able to buy them without judgement again when my daughter was born. When I came across Bunnies By The Bay I was sold instantly on their fabulous little stuffed ani…
It's not hard to find signs of love all around us today, like these gorgeously designed wooden blocks that spell out love in 12 different languages. And when you take a closer look at how artful these blocks are, you'll understand why I …